I was asked to give a 25 minute presentation at our local MOPS group. I had such a blast with these amazing Momma’s, and I decided to turn this talk into a blog post for them AND you! 
Now in blog land, 12 steps would be too long for one post, so we will do half today and half tomorrow, ok?
So, every millisecond matters when you are a mom, so a camera with a 3 second delay is not going to be your best option. You know what I am talking about,
“Smile Kids!”
Flash flash flash….CLICK.
Aaaaaand no kids left in the picture.
This is how I ended up with a Canon Rebel XS, my first Digital SLR camera. I liked how fast it clicked the photo, and the fact that I was no longer missing that special moment by half a crawling baby.
That leads me to my first point in Mommarazzi 101: 12 Tips for Moms with Cameras.
1) Settings Matter
Whether you have a point and shoot, or a DSLR camera, settings matter. It always makes me sad to see Mom’s with these amazing cameras, blasting their kids with the flash setting at brightly lit school functions. I know not everyone is prepared to use manual settings, and words like iso, f stop and aperture make you break into a sweat.
I have a simple piece of advice: Turn the flash off. Especially if you have a digital slr camera! There is a setting that shows a slash through the flash symbol, USE IT.
I shot my whole first year in the business on the no flash setting, making sure each shot had good natural light, like dusk – outside, or by a window – inside. This helped me succeed until I could learn manual.
Here are some photo examples of Flash vs. no Flash:
Or Auto vs. Manual.
Flash creates harsh lines! Other times we see white skin, glowing red eyes, dark shadows…you know what I am talking about!
One flip of the dial, and now we see the details of the face and the creaminess of the skin.
Sometimes it looks like a whole different photo!
See how manual fills in the shadows that auto leaves?
If you are ready to upgrade your point and shoot, I would highly recommend getting a Canon Rebel T2i or T3i model. They are wonderful, high end cameras that still allow the camera to make educated decisions for you. Any higher than that? The camera expects YOU to make all the decisions. That means you better know your settings, and words like iso and aperture will totally come into play. Also, some of these models have WONDERFUL video capabilities! Bonus, now you can get rid of that giant old camcorder too!
You can pick up one of these cameras for $300-600, a hefty price tag, with amazing results. Your kids deserve more than just pixilated cell phone shots, right!?
2) The Art of the High Low Shot 
When capturing your kids and their daily activities, remember that angles matter. The following photos would be way more boring, had I just stood and shot straight on.
Things like laying on the ground to see the blades of grass tickling sweet little feet, or standing on a chair to shoot down on family game night, will produce beautiful and unique shots.
The Candy shot was for a thank you card for the oh so generous family member slash candy gift giver, it was the perfect way to display happy kids and heaps of candy!
I use this same concept when shooting clients like these Seniors, one I laid on a quiet road, the other I teetered on a stair case, high above the client. Alright, so it was kinda dangerous, but so worth it!
This same approach is used at weddings.
And family shoots.
I feel it is a great way to get everyone in a flattering position, and looking at the camera. Even young children. This is also a really flattering pose for babies.
3) Stop & Smell the Roses
So we have all had bad days. Permanent Marker on our dining room table, dog food dumped into the water bowl, and toothbrushes in the toilet.
My tip for you is to STOP and smell the roses before you start hollering, I mean cleaning up. And when I say Stop, and smell the roses, I mean, go get your camera!
I will always remember the day my youngest, Paxton, decided to dump his entire bowl of Oatmeal on his head. Thankfully, I always tried to keep my camera nearby, because now my whole family can remember the story. As you can tell by his expression, he was quite stunned at what he had done.
The second photo you see up there on the left, was taken at a family birthday party. He snuck over during supper and helped himself to the homemade ice cream. Instead of hollering for him to stop, I grabbed a shot, then told him that was a NO NO!
In this next set of photos, my concern over Paxton’s face “bleeding”, quickly turned to exasperation when I figured out he had managed to find yet ANOTHER magic marker. This was the 4th time this week our home was decorated in milliseconds. And I had hidden ALL of them, or so I thought. Instead of cleaning, I grabbed the Camera and sat down, asking Paxton to tell me the whole story:
You can almost hear him saying in the photos:
“Sooo, you aren’t happy I drew on my sock for you?”
{Sucking air} “Oooo, drawing on myself is a NO NO, Momma?”
{shrug} “But this is some of my BEST work!”
{hunch down} “Sorry I was naughty, Mommy…….good thing I am so cute, hugh?!”
By now you have probably noticed that all these messy shots are of the same kid. And let me tell you, I had a PLETHURA to choose from. The Lord likes to keep us humble, that is why after two angelic “Yes Mom” children, He gave me my 2 little ones….
Nuff said.
Stopping to Smell the Roses, does not always mean JUST capturing naughty behavior, it also means thinking ahead to special “First” moments and being ready with camera in hand.
Paxton had just woken up and I knew he wouldn’t remember seeing snow from the year before, so I got my camera ready, and called him to the window.
Again, in years to come, I would’ve forgotten that sweet little gasp to see the World so white, the pointed, little, sweet, fat, finger showing me the strange stuff out there. I am so thankful I took the time to get the camera ready first.
That leads me to my next point,
4) Capturing the 4 Seasons of HOME
My kids have been privileged to grow up in the same home all their lives, but should we ever move, I think I will be so glad I spent the time capturing each Season of our Home for them. There is something so heartwarming about Seasonal photos! This means snowy walks following your kids and hubby around, taking photos of everyday things in all their snow covered glory…..
A full shot of your home from the driveway or road. The Christmas tree, twinkling in the dim lit living room…..
All things that will provoke memories in your children for years to come. Don’t forget the cloudy rain filled skies, and water covered lawns, of Spring……
Or the Joy of Watermelon on the front step, sidewalk chalk towns, and the trampoline time of Summer break.
I always adore the beauty of Fall, family around the table, and a world painted orange and red. We serve an awesome creative Creator who has the most beautiful brush strokes.
Tip number 5 is Reach Out and Touch Someone, even if you aren’t a touchy touchy person.
5) Reach Out And Touch Someone
Sometimes, photo shoots don’t go like we want them to, we have a fussy child that needs to be consoled, or some little giggly girlies that don’t want to cooperate…..
A simple touch can calm a child, but it can also make the photograph you are capturing, much more heart catching….Sisters cuddled up close, a couple with a soft touch.
Let me show you some side by side examples of Touch vs. No Touch
As you can see, these are the same 4 kiddos in the same shot, I chose to make the second one into a canvas for my home. Why? Because it oozed cozy, happy kids, and lots of love. See how much more cozy it is? The only thing that changed, was touch!
Touch doesn’t have to be huggy, sometimes it’s just where we have a large group place their arms. Either one of these choices will work to communicate the love of family.
This is my husband’s family, as soon as I made them laugh, and asked them to do a group hug, look how they came alive. Eyes sparkling, warm hugs all around…
Dale’s father just died from cancer, this photo is now PRICELESS. I am so thankful they laughed and had fun, THAT is scene worth remembering forever more!
Look at the photos of this Senior girl, bringing her hands into the scene, adds to its overall appeal, and the finished look.
6) Get In Front Of The Camera
I know you didn’t sleep last night, I know your hair is a disaster, and you can’t remember the last time you showered. I know you have snot on your leg and spit up on your shoulder, but GET IN FRONT OF THE CAMERA. Do you remember seeing pics of your Mom back in the day? You love them, right?! You aren’t thinking about her hair or her bell bottoms, ok, well maybe a little, but mostly, you are remembering the person that raised you. You most likely can flash back to that scene with great memories of your growing up years. I would much rather be behind the camera, but I want my kids to remember me, and have photos to show their children later of the Mom they grew up with.
That also means taking photos when you are pregnant, no matter how huge and disgusting you feel. My kids LOVE to see photos of them “In my tummy”. Having these taken professionally can be a really special thing to look forward to last trimester, those rounded tummies so full of life! Don’t forget a shot after baby is born, this is my favorite nursing photo.
You also need to make family photos a priority. I know it makes you sweat, I know there is yelling and spit baths, hair smoothing and lost shoes, but IT IS WORTH IT. Family photos should be done at least every other year, if not EVERY year. There are so many affordable options, save up and don’t let cost stop you from getting a session set up, and have FUN with it!
Don’t forget your best friend, aka your hubby! He should be our number 1 human priority, and that is hard to remember sometimes with kids hanging all over us.
Get a sitter, get fixed up, and head out for some steamy couples photos. Your whole family is built on the foundation of a love that blossomed between the two of you, what better way to keep the love alive, then to have some beautiful photos with your Soul Mate hanging in your bedroom.
We will continue tomorrow with the next 6 Steps in Mommarazzi 101: 12 Tips for Moms With Cameras!
~T
4 little Fergusons 